HSBC Premier World Mastercard benefits: what does the insurance actually cover?

Covers all prepaid non-refundable travel and accommodation up to a total of $100,000, when you cancel or cut a trip short for a covered reason outside your control. Lost frequent flyer points and the travel agent's cancellation fee are included, with the agent fee capped at $500. A $400 excess applies per claim, and cover depends on charging at least $500 of the prepaid trip to the card.

Pays your overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses up to $20 million, for treatment during the journey. A bed care patient allowance covers incidentals at $75 a day up to $2,250, and emergency dental for sudden toothache is capped at $750. A $400 excess applies per claim, and medical expenses are covered for up to 12 months from the date of injury or sickness.

Emergency evacuation and repatriation are arranged and paid by Allianz Global Assistance up to $20 million, when treatment is not available where you are. The 24/7 assistance team also handles hospital payment guarantees, transport to the nearest suitable hospital, and return to Australia with medical supervision. No excess applies to this benefit.

Covers emergency dental treatment overseas for the relief of sudden and severe pain to sound and natural teeth, up to $750. The cap applies only to toothache treatment. Dental treatment needed because of an accidental injury is paid under the medical expenses section instead.

Pays a hospital cash allowance of $75 per person per day, up to $2,250 in total, if you are confined to an overseas hospital. It reimburses incidentals on top of the medical expenses cover. No excess applies to this benefit.

Covers reasonable additional travel and accommodation expenses, up to $100,000, when a covered event disrupts your journey overseas and forces extra costs. It sits alongside the cancellation cover for unexpected out-of-pocket expenses. A $400 excess applies per claim.

Reimburses reasonable extra meals and accommodation if your scheduled transport is delayed at least 6 hours by something outside your control. The limit is $500 for a cardholder or spouse, with dependants included in that limit. No excess applies, but you need receipts and written confirmation of the delay from the carrier.

Covers reasonable alternative transport costs, up to $3,000, to reach your destination on time after a delay or disruption to your scheduled transport. A $400 excess applies per claim. It is useful when a delay would otherwise make you miss a connection or a booked event overseas.

Pays reasonable transport costs to return to Australia and then resume your journey, up to $7,500 per person and $14,000 for a family, if you interrupt the trip after the death or hospital admission of a relative living in Australia. You must resume the journey within a reasonable period. A $400 excess applies per claim.

Reimburses the emergency purchase of essential clothing and other items if a carrier delays, misdirects or misplaces your luggage for more than 10 hours. The limit is $600 per person, up to $1,100 for a cardholder travelling with a spouse or dependants. No excess applies, but you need written confirmation from the carrier and receipts.

Covers theft, accidental damage or permanent loss of luggage and personal items during the journey, up to $25,000 per person. Per-item sub-limits apply: $6,000 each for computers, cameras and video cameras, and $6,000 for any other item including mobile phones. A $400 excess applies, and covered items left in a vehicle during daylight are capped at $1,000 in total.

Covers the reissue or replacement of essential travel documents, transaction cards and travellers cheques lost, stolen or destroyed overseas, up to $600 per person. It separately covers loss from the fraudulent use of your cards or cheques, up to a further $600. No excess applies, and you must report the loss to police and the card issuer.

Covers your legal liability, up to $2,500,000 per event, for negligently causing bodily injury or death to another person or damage to their property during the journey. Reasonable legal costs are also paid, subject to Allianz Global Assistance approval. Liability tied to vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, your business or your own family is excluded.

Pays a lump sum if you die from an accidental injury during the journey: $30,000 for a cardholder, $30,000 for a spouse and $5,000 for each dependant, up to $80,000 in total. A separate Overseas Transit Accident Insurance pays much higher amounts, up to $650,000, if the accident happens while you are on public transport with the fare charged to the card.

Pays your verified lost income per week, up to $8,500 in total, if a cardholder or spouse cannot resume their pre-trip work in Australia because of injuries suffered on the journey. There is no cover for dependants. A medical certificate and proof of returning to work are required.

Covers cancellation of prepaid domestic travel and accommodation, up to $3,000 in total, when an interstate trip is cut short or called off for a covered reason. It applies to Domestic Travel Insurance, which needs the return domestic flight charged to the card or at least $250 of prepaid domestic travel on the card. A $200 excess applies per claim.

Reimburses reasonable extra meals and accommodation if a domestic flight is delayed at least 4 hours by something outside your control. The limit is $125 per person, up to $500 in total. No excess applies. Cover requires the domestic travel to be eligible and charged to the card.

No domestic additional expenses cover. Domestic Travel Insurance covers cancellation, flight delay, luggage and luggage delay, but not extra living costs from a disrupted interstate trip. Costs from a domestic trip cut short by illness are out of pocket.

Covers loss, theft or accidental damage to luggage on a domestic interstate trip, at $500 per item up to $1,250 in total. A $200 excess applies per claim. Cover requires the domestic travel to be eligible and charged to the card.

Reimburses essential replacement items if your luggage is delayed on a domestic trip for at least 12 hours, at $150 per person up to $400 in total. No excess applies. Cover requires the domestic travel to be eligible and charged to the card.